Best Online Education Programs in Washington, DC (2026)

Washington, District of Columbia has a population of about 672,079. The city’s median household income is $106,287 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 63.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 83 accredited schools offering education programs near Washington, with tuition ranging from $6,152 to $84,696 per year for indexed programs. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $133,720 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Education Schools to Washington

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 83 schools in our directory that offer education programs near Washington. Distances are calculated from Washington city center.

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all District of Columbia schools on the District of Columbia education page.

Education Wages Near Washington

Washington is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to District of Columbia statewide.

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Washington at a Glance

Other Washington-Area Cities With Education Programs

• Alexandria, VA – 7.0 mi away (155,810 pop)
• College Park, MD – 7.7 mi away (32,275 pop)
• Greenbelt, MD – 9.3 mi away (23,909 pop)
• Rockville, MD – 14.4 mi away (66,940 pop)
• Bowie, MD – 15.2 mi away (58,393 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near Washington, DC?

Our directory has 83 accredited schools offering education programs near Washington. The closest is The Chicago School at Washington DC in Washington, DC (0.9 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is University of the District of Columbia (3.8 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying education roles near Washington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Washington are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($133,720), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($126,620), Secondary School Teacher ($77,880). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with District of Columbia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Alexandria instead of Washington?

Alexandria, VA is 7.0 miles from Washington and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Washington an affordable place to study education?

Washington’s median household income of $106,287 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Washington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and District of Columbia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Related Resources

• Online Education Programs in District of Columbia
• Main Education Degree Guide
• Education Programs by State

Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.